Kansas concealed carry permits set record in 2012

Applications for permits to carry concealed weapons in Kansas set a record in the fiscal year ending June 30, more than doubling the record set in the previous year.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt says Wednesday that 25,340 applications for permits were filed with the state between July 1, 2012 and June 30. The old mark was 12,408 applications in the fiscal year 2012.

Kansas has been issuing permits since 2007 with 63,455 active licenses in the state as of July 1, an increase of nearly 20,000 from the previous year.

New changes taking effect July 1 expand the number of public places where concealed guns are permitted, including state and municipal buildings, unless adequate safety measures such as guards and metal detectors are installed.